Nashville Soccer Club Earns Road Point Against Defending MLS Cup Champions

COLUMBUS, Ohio (July 21, 2021) – Nashville Soccer Club came away with a scoreless draw at the new home of reigning MLS Cup Champions Columbus Crew, and is now tied for second place in the Eastern Conference with 23 points.  

Depth Stepping Up: With the absence of five players, Nashville’s depth continues to step up to the call in both the starting lineup and off of the bench. Defender Eric Miller made his first appearance and start of the season, along with Taylor Washington making his first start of the season. 

Willis Is What We’re Talking About: Goalkeeper Joe Willis had a career-night recording a clean sheet and seven saves, tying a career high. With his sixth shutout of the season, Willis is now tied with Philadelphia Union’s Andre Blake for the league lead. 

Loba Makes His Debut: Nashville SC newest Designated Player Aké Loba made his first Major League Soccer appearance coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute after signing with the club on July 7.

Nashville SC will return to Nissan Stadium for a matchup against rival FC Cincinnati on Saturday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are available at NashvilleSC.com/Tickets.

Match Timeline

  N/A

Notes

• With the result, Nashville SC is tied for second place in the Eastern Conference
• Nashville SC is now unbeaten in its last six matches with the last loss dating back to June 18
• Nashville SC earned its sixth clean sheet of the season tonight, just three shy of tying its total from last year in the regular season
• Nashville SC is now 8W-3L-5D in weekday matches all-time in its MLS history
• Nashville SC earned its ever first point against Columbus Crew 
• Tah Brian Anunga and Matt LaGrassa started together in the midfield for just the second time in their careers and since Oct. 14, 2020. Starting together as holding midfielders they own a 1W-0L-1D record
• Dax McCarty surpassed Colorado Rapids defender Drew Moor for fourth place all-time in matches played in MLS by an outfield player with 396 matches. McCarty started at center back for the first time in his MLS career
• Randall Leal is tied for first in MLS in shots on target with 21
• Eric Miller made his first start of the season tonight and led Nashville SC in touches with 59
• Alex Muyl will now have a yellow card reduced after consistent good behavior. Muyl will no longer be suspended after his next yellow card
• Dave Romney remains the only outfield player for Nashville SC to play all 1,260 minutes of the 2021 
• CJ Sapong led the team in shots with three
• Joe Willis earned his 33rd shutout of his career and made his 150th appearance in goal which places him in 29th all-time in MLS in goalkeeper appearances

BOX SCORE

Nashville SC 5W-1L-8D 23 pts. vs. Columbus Crew SC 5W-3L-6D 21pts.

July 21, 2021 — Lower.com Field, Columbus, Ohio

Final Score

NSH: 0

CLB: 0                      

Scoring Summary

N/A

Discipline

CLB: Perry Kitchen (Caution) 18’

NSH: Matt LaGrassa (Caution) 21’

CLB: Erik Hurtado (Caution) 43’

Lineups

NSH: Joe Willis; Jalil Anibaba, Dave Romney, Eric Miller, Taylor Washington; Dax McCarty (C), Hany Mukhtar (Randall Leal 68’), Alex Muyl (Aké Loba 80’), Matt LaGrassa, Tah Brian Anunga; CJ Sapong (Jhonder Cádiz 68’)

Unused Substitutes: Abu Danladi, Irakoze Donasiyano, Dylan Nealis, Robert Castellanos, Luke Haakenson, Bryan Meredith

TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Sapong, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 1 (Mukhtar, 1); FOULS: 13 (Anunga, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 7; POSSESSION: 34%

CLB: Eloy Room; Jonathan Mensah (C), Waylon Francis (Alexandru Matan 81’), Harrison Afful, Aboubacar Keita; Perry Kitchen (Marlon Hairston HT), Darlington Nagbe, Pedro Santos, Lucas Zelarayán, Derrick Etienne Jr. (Kevin Molina 65’); Erik Hurtado (Bradley Wright-Phillips HT)

Unused Substitutes: Isaiah Parente, Grant Lillard, Evan Bush, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Miguel Berry

TOTAL SHOTS: 18; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; FOULS: 10; OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 1; POSSESSION: 66%

Referee: Rosendo Mendoza

AR1: Brian Poeschel

AR2: Jeffrey Swartzel

4th: Lukasz Szpala

VAR: Chico Grajeda

AVAR: Claudiu Badea 

Weather: Partly cloudy, 77 degrees. 

Statistics are unofficial.